Washington State Riesling to the Rescue

It's hot. I'm hot. I'm tired. I'm overworked. I'm eating lots of takeout.

Riesling to the rescue.

There is no joy so profound as I experience back to school, Labor Day, and the looming need to buy fall clothes as a cool bottle of Riesling waiting for me in the fridge when I pull into the driveway after a long day of work with a few cartons of Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, or Japanese food sitting on the passenger seat next to me. Riesling is the perfect match for Asian food, and because you can store it in the fridge it's always ready when you need it (just let it warm up for 10-15 minutes before your drink it or you'll miss out on Riesling's extraordinary aromas).

Because I love its low alcohol zinginess and Asian food-friendliness so much, I'm always on the lookout for new labels I haven't tried before. My latest discovery is the 2006 Mildbrandt Traditions Riesling from Washington. I purchased this for $12.49 in my local grocery store; you can find it near you for between $10 and $15. It was pale in color which suggested cool, clear water. The aromas and flavors ran the spectrum of citrus and flowers from orange blossom, to Meyer lemon, to lemon peel. There was a nice, juicy finish that kept you reaching for more to sip along with your ever-diminishing pile of pad thai. This wine also had a relatively low alcohol level for a domestic white at only 12.5%, which is good news when it's so hot outside.

What I loved most about this wine was that it was slightly off-dry but still restrained and balanced. Oh, and I loved its pricepoint, too. This certainly qualifies as a wine with excellent QPR, given its clear, refreshing citrus and floral flavors. It may not be as complex as a German Riesling, but it will combine with your takeout beautifully. So if you see this in your local store buy several bottles, leave them in the fridge, and the next time you're running late and General Tso is your dinner date you'll have one less thing to worry about.